Preface

The study of Islamic architecture is almost non-existent in the universities around the world and even in Moslem World. This absence springs from the confused characteristics of the Islamic architecture found in university programmes; and this is what I have tried to make up for in this book which deals with fostering awareness about Islamic architecture starting from the distinction between architecture which is a pure science and the art of building which consists of creation and designing, going from simple architecture to specialized architectural studies at university. Then I focus on the characteristics of this art which is related to the Islamic teachings and thought, as it is clearly illustrated by public buildings - such as the mosque, the school and even public baths and hospitals. This relationship is the first characteristic; then there is the human scale in the Islamic architecture which is considered as the second characteristic. What is meant by this scale is that architecture should fulfill not only the housing function in the best conditions that provide security and comfort but also the aesthetic function which renders this public or the private building a marvelous “Mihrab” to which a person aspires to resort to because of its architectural shapes and ornamental  forms.

The purpose of teaching the arts of the Islamic architecture is not to refresh the historical memory and speak about the past and its achievements, rather it is also a search for a futurist shaping of these arts that depend on modernisation and conforming to the rapid development of life and its means. Here comes the idea of talking about authenticity and modernity which have been discussed a lot recently.

The question of being part of the heritage and creativity is also raised in this context so as not only to show how to reconcile these two aspects under the conditions of a defiant modernity, but also to explore the attempts of the great Arab architects, such as Hassan Fathi, and the work of the architects who won world prizes in the domain of achieving the reconciliation between authenticity and creativity. These examples enable us to explore the necessary conditions for the achievement of this reconciliatory goal, either in our university studies or in our assessment of the projects submitted for the winning of prizes.

What is always important for us to grasp is how do our university programmes include these characteristics in order to get an Islamic architectural education capable of keeping pace with future innovations. It should be mentioned that these conditions are based on principles the first of which is that architecture is neither an art alone nor a science alone, it is both an art and a science; an art that depends on creation and a science that is built on mathematical rules.

The second principle is that the Islamic art of building is distinguished from all the other architecture in the world namely that it has a specific beauty stemming from the emancipated Islamic thought. A fact that can be illustrated by turning to our cultural references that have not been dealt with up to now, such as the aesthetic ideas of Abi-Hayyan At-Tawhidi which I have dwelt on in a separate book.

The first thing that educational programmes aim at is the search for the Islamic architectural theory. In addition to the mathematical rules and engineering, there are symbolic characteristic connections between the Islamic faith and  architectural thought, these elements constitute a firm theory, and it is  this theory which is applied in Islamic architectural designs and helps unravel the affiliated creativity which consists of representative practical attempts. For teaching in this context is not only theoretical but practical as well.

If the firm theory of the Islamic architecture is the religious faith, what are the characteristics of this theory? What makes of Islam a civilizational religion is monotheism. This means that the Great Creator of this Universe is One and Omnipotent. Such a belief lies in trying to discover the secrets which display the magnificence of the order prevalent in the universe and  among all creatures.

The Muslim built his civilization, including science, art and architecture, on the basis of this belief, hence the comprehensive representation embodied in Arab ornamentations and the architecture that is characterized by idealism and the aspiration for the absolute. All mosques have as their “Qibla” one point, namely the “Ka‘aba” - the symbol of the belief in the Uniqueness of Allah. This consists in an architecture that has a common identity regardless of the difference in time and space. The present book also examines the role of creativity, for the freedom that Islam gives to thinking and working within the bounds of piety has always been at the root of diversity which has enriched the history of Islamic architecture with testimonies that are not copies of each other, as it was the case with Western classical arts. The standard for this creativity is moderation, namely that any architectural work should be well-balanced in accordance with the Holy Verse : “And produced therein from all kinds of things in due balance” (Al-Hijr, 19).

It is by relying on this firm theory that we can arrive at elaborating the concept of the Islamic architectural aesthetics. We can also point out the role of Islamic arts in expressing the Muslim’s values, history and civilization. In the age of dialogue among cultures, we are in greater need today of firm means to make known the Islamic values and civilization, especially if these means were artistic in a world language that is understood and approved of. A language that does not raise any racist or ideological barrier which leads to confrontation among people and the breaking of human ties. It is also crucial in the age of globalization to have an architectural or artistic mode that clearly reflects the glory of Allah. A mode that should be understood and to which people aspire, whether they be outsiders or former opponents.

Thus, I may say that my attempt in writing this book -though its title evokes the educational aspect of the subject- is to construct a cultural discourse based on scientific, architectural foundations capable of making dialogue prevail in the world so that all nations could take the right human decisions for a better world. This book is first and formost the answer I prepared to the generous call the ISESCO addressed to me, according to its wise programme in laying the objective foundations for a futurist Islamic civilization.

May Allah grant us success and level headedness.

Dr. Afif Bahnassi